Shoe-button.



W- E. ELLIOTT.

SHOE BUTTON. APPLICATION men 001. 11. 19:5.

1,206,755. Patented Nov. 28,1916.

flvuewfor [MW/am 55/0077 WILLIAM E. ELLIOTT, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

SHOE-BUTTON.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7

Patented Nov. 28, 1916.

Application filed October 11, 1915. Serial No. 55,219.

To all whom it may concern I Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. ELLIQTT, a citizen ofthe United States of Amerlca, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Buttons; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which 1t appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to shoe buttons, and it has for its object and purpose the provision of buttons which will'not cut, wear or otherwise destroy the margins of the button holes with which they are associated.

In the buttons as now formed the underside is practically fiat and the wire loo-p or eye projects downwardly from the center thereof. When the flap containing the button holes is grasped and pulled outward to unbutton a shoe there must be considerable force exerted against the button to pull the same through the button hole and frequently the margin of the button hole is in ured or destroyed. Also when the shoe is buttoned the wire-loop forming the eye of the button bears with considerable force against the margin of the button hole and has a tendency to cut or abrade and otherwise destroy the same so that the button holes become worn out long before the rest of the shoe. To avoid this trouble, reinforcement of the margin of the button holes has been done but the result is expensive and ineffective. The button which I have invented overcomes these undesirable features as will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my mproved button. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing its association with a-flap of a shoe, the shoe flap being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a view taken at right angles to Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of a ortion of a shoe flap and illustrating one o the button holes therein.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

I prefer to use a button having a head of the usual convex top 11 and convex periphery 2 of less radius than the top and, instead of the usual substantially fiat under side, I project downward fro-m this under side a short neck 3, adapted to fit in the round opening Sat the end of the button hole and preferably having a concave periphery extending upwardly and outwardly as indicated at 4, the curves at l and 2 forming what is known as an ogee curve, there being a smooth and unobstructed continuation of one curve into the other. Each button is provided with a usual downwardly extending wire loop or eye 5, the ends of which are embedded in the head 1 and the part of the loop near the head heretofore to engage the margin of the button hole cov ered by the neck 3. The junction of the outer surface of the wire with the neck 3 shown at 6 is practically smooth and unobstructed, whereby the margin of the button hole will not contact the wire of the eye and be injured thereby.

Shoe buttons of this character are attached to the inner flap at the side of an opening in a shoe and the heads thereof inserted through button holes in the outer flap with the eye laterally engaging the margin of the button hole which is rapidly worn and cut away thereby because of the small diameter of the wire and strain thereon. A button hole ordinarily consists of an elongated slot as indicated at 7 which at one end is widened and formed to make a substantially circular opening as shown at S in the flap 9, a fragment of which is indicated in the drawings. The edges of the opening 8 and of the slot 7 are worked with abutton hole stitch as indicated at 10 or otherwise finished to reinforce and protect the edges of the material and to add to the appearance of the button hole. Heretofore, it will be understood, that these wire loops extended upwardly into the head 1 at an acute angle with the underside of the button and that the button hole margin is forced into this acute angle and pinched and abraded or cut so that in a comparatively short time it becomes destroyed.

By the use of my improved button the wire loop forming the eye does not engage the margin of the button hole, but the neck extends into the button hole and aflords an extended bearing against the same of substantially one half of the circumference of the neck of the button, in place of one half of a small wire, the result being that the margin of the button hole is not worn appreciably by long use under considerable strain and friction. Also it will be noted that from the formation of the head 1 in conjunction with the formation of the neck 3 the unbuttoning oi the shoe is readily accomplished without undue stress upon the button hole -margin, the ogee curvature of the neck and head freely and easily opening the button hole to permit the withdrawal of the button head without undue friction or effort.

I claim l. A shoe button, comprising a head, a neck projecting from the head, and an eye projecting from the neck, the eye and neck having substantially the same outside diameter at their junction, whereby the margin of button hole if engaged with the eye will normally slide 01? the same and come to rest upon the neck.

2. A "ioe button, comprising a head, a neck extending below the head, and an eye extending below the neck, the eye having substantially'the same outside diameter as the neck where joined therewith and having sides converging toward the neck, whereby when in use the neck remains in a button hole, and the eye will not remain in the same.

3. A button, comprising a head, a neck projecting from the head and having a concave periphery and an eye projecting from the head, having sides converging toward the neck and having substantially the same outside diameter as the neck where joined therewith.

d. A button, comprising a head, a neck projecting from the head and having a concave periphery, an eye projecting from the neck, the neck and eye being of substantially equal diameter where they are joined and oppositely increasing diameter therefrom, whereby the necr will normally rest in a button hole and engage the margin thereof and the eye will not normally remain in said button hole.

5. A shoe button comprising a head hav-' Copies of this patent may be obtained for ing a convex margin, an eye projecting below the head, and a neck surrounding the eye near the head and having a concave periphery merging into the margin oi' the head at the top to guide the margin of a button hole freely over the head of the button, and of less diameter than the eye at the lower end.

6. A shoe button comprising a. head having a convex margin, an eye projecting below the head, and a neck surrounding the upper part of the ey and partially inclosing the sa e, said neck having an outwardly inclined concave periphery blending at the top into the margin of the head to guide the margin of a button hole freely over the head, and at the lower end blending into the outline of th eye to guide said button hole margin upon the periphery of the neck.

7 A shoe button comprising a head having a convex top and a convex margin of less radius than the top, a neck projecting dew ward provided with a concave periphery blending in an ogee curve with the margin of the head at the top, and an eye projecting below the neck and having its sides blending into the curved circumference of the neck. 7

8. A shoe button comprising a head having a convex top and convex margin of less radius than the top, a wire eye projecting below the head and having converging sides, a neck between the head and eye and having a. concave periphery blending into the convex margin ofthe head at the top and blending at the bottom into the outline of the eye, whereby the entire button presents a continuous curved outline of least diameter through the lower portion of the neck, whereby a button hole margin will automatically adjust in the concave of the neck.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM E. ELLIOTT.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

